Okay, so apparently fights between crocodiles and great white sharks are entirely possible as crocodiles have been found a mile out into the ocean before. Now, who do you think the victor would be if we take the largest shark to have swam the earth's oceans, Megalodon and put him against the largest croc to have roamed the earth, Supercroc? Also, let's add the monster Liopleurodon to the mix. Who wins between the trio?
Supercroc (Sarcosuchus imperator)
Stats:
Name:Sarcosuchus imperator
[Sar-koh-soo-kis im-peer-ay-tor]
Meaning of name: "flesh crocodile emperor"
Nickname: "SuperCroc"
Age: 110 million years
Discovery Site: Niger
How big did Sarcosuchus grow?
Based on measurements of the skulls and bones, and comparison to recent crocs, Sarcosuchus grew to lengths of 37-40 feet
How heavy was it in life?
Based on a comparison to living crocs, Sarcosuchus would have weighed about 8 metric tons (or 8,000 kg), which equals 8.75 English tons (which equals about 17,500 pounds!) That is about 10 times as heavy as the heaviest living croc. Why was it so much heavier when it is only twice as long as the longest living croc? Remember that as length increases, body weight goes up by the cube.
The huge jaw contained 132 thick teeth. The teeth were conical, adapted for grabbing and holding; instead of narrow, adapted for slashing (like the teeth of some land-dwelling carnivores), and more like that of true crocodilians. Sarcosuchus could probably exert a force of 80 kN (18,000 lbf) with its jaw, making it very unlikely that prey could escape. It had a row of bony plates or osteoderms, running down its back, the largest of which were 1 m (3 ft) long. The scutes served as armor and may have helped support its great mass, but also restricted its flexibility.
It may have come into conflict with Suchomimus, an 11 m (36 ft) theropod dinosaur with a gharial-like snout, whose fossils were found in the same geological formation as Sarcosuchus. According to Sereno, "because the ancient animal was so large, it could easily handle huge dinosaurs, including the massive long-necked, small-headed sauropods that were common in that African region".
Megalodon
Stats:
Name: Megalodon
Meaning: "Big Tooth" in Greek
Age: Oldest remains are 18 million years old
How big could Megalodon grow?
C. megalodon could grow more than 18 metres (59 ft) long and is also quite possibly the largest shark ever to exist.
What did Megalodon eat?
There is evidence that C. megalodon preyed on whales(e.g. sperm whales, bowhead whales, Cetotherium,and Odobenocetops), sirenians, dolphins,, porpoises, pinnipeds, and giant sea turtles. Whales were likely an important prey item for C. megalodon as many whale bones (including vertebrae and flippers) have been found with clear signs of large bite marks made by the teeth that match those of C. megalodon, and various excavations have revealed C. megalodon teeth lying close to the chewed remains of whales.
What was Megalodon's bite force?
A team of scientists led by Stephen Wroe conducted an experiment in 2008 to determine the bite force of the C. megalodon and concluded that very large specimens were capable of exerting a bite force of up to 40,131 pounds per square inch (276 MPa; over 5 times greater than that of T. rex), arguably making the giant shark one of the most formidable and powerful predators to have ever inhabited the oceans.
Liopleurodon
Name: Liopleurodon
Meaning: "smooth-sided teeth"
Age: Between the mid and late Jurrasic period.
Four strong paddle-like limbs suggest that Liopleurodon was a powerful swimmer. Its four-flipper mode of propulsion is characteristic of all plesiosaurs. A study involving a swimming robot has demonstrated that although this form of propulsion is not especially efficient, it provides very good acceleration - a desirable trait in an ambush predator. Studies of the skull have shown that it could probably scan the water with its nostrils to ascertain the source of certain smells
How big could Liopleurodon get?
The discovery of a very large pliosaur was announced in 2002, from Mexico, nicknamed the 'Monster of Aramberri'. A cautious estimate placed this juvenile at about 15 metres (49.2 ft) long.
How powerful was Liopleurodon?
Pliosaurs were almost uniquely adapted for powerful biting. Estimates of biting force in excess of those produced by any existing animal have been made for (the kitten-like)T.rex based on marks left on the bones of its prey (or scavenged carcases). Pliosaurs were much bigger than T.rex, and better adapted for powerful biting. Think of a modern car, with a monocoque chassis: all relatively thin steel. A pliosaur was big enough to hold a medium-sized car in its jaws, and powerful enough to bite it in half!
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